Waste
Most industrial processes have various types of by-products. Some industrial wastes can be introduced back into the production processes, others can be used by other industries as part of industrial symbiosis. Some waste streams are sent to landfills. Some of the waste streams of ICL sites contain hazardous materials that require specialized treatment. The company tracks and manages all its waste streams and takes various steps to reduce waste and to identify and maximize potential reuse and recycling of relevant waste streams.
For details about specific waste reduction projects at our facilities around the world, click on the map to the right.
Note: In the charts below, and unlike in other environmental indicators, ICL does not use 2008 as a base year. The reason is the PRTR law in Israel, which came into effect in 2012. This law significantly expanded the streams defined as wastes in ICL’s Israeli sites. Therefore, the tracked waste data for 2008-11 in ICL Israel is incomparable to 2012 and onwards.
There are no clear trends regarding the amount of waste produced in our plants. Amounts can vary significantly between years. The main reasons are the large amounts of wastes usually created in one-time construction/renovation projects, and certain waste types which are accumulated in storage ponds or areas for several years before being transferred to treatment by external professional companies. Non-haz waste quantities decreased by 16% in 2018 for such reasons, but have remained almost without change (+0.8%) in 2019.
Note that the non-haz waste figures above exclude large amounts of waste streams that are sold to recycling/reuse as raw materials as part of ICL’s circular economy endeavors. The waste figures do however include waste streams where ICL pays an external treatment company, which recycles the material.
Distribution of Non-Haz Waste treatment methods (%)
Hazardous waste quantities can also significantly fluctuate between years, since certain waste types are accumulated for several years, prior to being transferred to treatment by external professional companies. This explains the 2019 trend, as the overall ICL hazardous waste quantities increased by 10% VS 2018. Large amounts of hazardous wastes, accumulated over several years, were sent for treatment by ICL Neot-Hovav and ICL Rotem.
More than 99% of hazardous waste in all ICL sites is treated in countries of origin.
Distribution of Haz Waste treatment methods (%)
Most of the waste streams are either directly treated by ICL, or treated by an external certified vendor- with whom the disposal method is directly confirmed.
Circular Economy in ICL Rotem: Finding new solutions to by-products
ICL Rotem has created a business unit dedicated to viewing its byproducts in a new light and finding value in what previously were byproducts or waste streams of the production process. These byproducts contain viable and valuable minerals, such as Fluorine, Silica, Sulphur, Calcium Carbonate, and Calcium Sulphate. The byproduct unit is searching for possible business partners and opportunities, that will help ICL close the loop and re-use the byproducts as raw materials.
Read MoreEliminating single-use plastics in ICL Israel
As an industrial company, ICL’s main environmental impacts are usually derived of its production processes. However, the company also sees value in raising the day-to-day sustainability awareness of all its employees. As part of this effort, in early 2019, the company eliminated single-use plastics (cups, plates, cutlery, etc.) from all kitchens, dining rooms and coffee areas in its production sites and offices in ICL Israel. The company has replaced these with un-disposable kitchen equipment, and has supplied a personal multi-use water bottle to each employee. In this matter, ICL hopes to contribute to growing global efforts to reduce plastic waste, and reduce its influence on life on land and at sea.
